Speaking about the role, Berry said in a statement: "I'm always on the lookout for amazing roles, and when you see material that contains this strong of auspices, nuance and complexity, it compels me to run toward it no matter the medium.

"For five months a year I'll get to live with and play this incredibly intelligent and vulnerable woman, and for the remainder of the year I'll continue to look for other roles that move me as deeply as this one."

Extant has been described as a futuristic thriller about a female astronaut trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space.